Why 'Avengers: Endgame' made so much money, according to Anthony Russo

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 19: Joe Russo and Anthony Russo speak at the Writing "Avengers: Endgame" Panel during 2019 Comic-Con International at San Diego Convention Center on July 19, 2019 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

You’ve probably heard that Avengers: Endgame had quite a good summer.

Not only was it released to incredible reviews, but over its opening few days it made over $1 billion worldwide and smashed box office records, before then ultimately surpassing Avatar to become the highest grossing film of all time.

But why it wasn’t surprising that movie-fans went to see Avengers: Endgame in their droves, there is another reason why it made so much money, according to its co-director Anthony Russo.

“Even though [me and co-director Joe Russo] love action and we fetishise action, and we put a lot of energy into orchestrating action, at the end of the day we have a strong focus on character,” Russo told Cleveland.com. “We love exploring characters in very subtle, specific ways.”

Actors Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige pose on the stage after placing their handprints in cement at a ceremony at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California, U.S. April 23, 2019. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

“Our comedy was known to be very character-grounded comedy, even though it could get absurd at times. I also think it’s the fact that we have committed to real stakes in the storytelling. If you look at all of our films, we’ve made choices that were really radical.”

Russo also opened up about the uniqueness of Endgame, admitting that because it was the culmination of 22 other films from the Marvel Cinematic Universe there was no other movie for them to reference while making it.

“Nothing excites my brother and me on a creative level more than this — there was no road map to what Endgame should be,” he continued. “No one had ever made anything like Endgame before. [It was] the culmination of 22 films that had interconnected storytelling, with characters who threaded themselves through many different filmmakers and creative voices.”

“It was just such an original, creative endeavor. I think Joe and I always love it most when we feel like we’re in a zone where we don’t know what we’re doing. We’ll always stay committed to those kinds of creative opportunities.”